5 comments about Sony DCR-SR42 30GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam Camcorder with 40x Optical Zoom.

1. I bought this unit relying on the reputation of SONY and never thought SONY could offer such a bad quality video on his handycams. It is awful. It is a real lemon ! I won't recommend to anyone to buy this model. Sorry SONY but you just deceived me !



2. Very Low Quality and Blurry. I would compare the quality of this video camera to the standard video camera you get from a cell phone. I am going to try to return this camera.



3. It was not as new condition as I expected....since it was told that the item was in the shop for display only.....Since no accessories is provided so please add the price and then think whether it is economical or not?????



4. I regret buying this camcorder. Video only looks okay when shot outside in the sun. If you shoot video inside, it looks very grainy. Forget about taking pictures with this camcorder since the resolution is so low. The pictures look awful! I'm buying a different one. Don't waste your money!



5. Merits:
   
   1. It's a Sony! (Brand value).
   2. Compact and light-weight.
   3. Carl Zeiss lens.
   4. hard disk memory, easy to transfer to computer.
   5. I got the refurbished one from sonystyle.com for 300 bucks. Thats pretty cheap for a 40x zoom HDD camcorder from sony.
   6. Motion picture quality is good.
   
   Demerits:
   1. Does not have a view finder.
   2. The Still picture quality is not that great (As indicated by others too).
   3. Does not have a neck strap (Or any provision for that).
   4. You need the camcorder dock to charge as well as transfer movies into Computer.
   5. The bundled video editor doe not have much functionality. Only you can cut a video, i could not find any option to merge several videos into one.
   
   Overall i like this camcorder, i will buy some video editing software to work on the videos a bit.

5 comments about Sony DCR-HC36 MiniDV Digital Handycam Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom.

1. Shortly after I purchased this camcorder (within hours), I returned it to Best Buy. I think my old Hi8 Sony camcorder had better picture quality then this one. It has good features, and I liked the sleek design, but in the end, the quality of the video is ultimately what I am looking for. The video it recorded was very pixelated and grainy. I have been told there is other options to make the picture better by a best buy customer service rep, but there is none. I had reservations about buying another Sony product, but everyone was telling me Sony leads the pack with their camcorders. Those folks were wrong. I bought the Canon Elura 100 and is much happier with that products video capabilities. I think my experience with this Sony product was the final nail in the coffin, I won't be buying anymore Sony products. My advice is, stay away from this unit. You will regret it, just read all the other customer feed back on CNET and you will understand.



2. We replaced an older JVC miniDV camcorder with this one. I'm impressed with the Carl Zeiss Lens it comes with. It is pretty small but I'm getting used to that. I'll get another Sony when I'm ready to upgrade this one but it won't be for awhile because this one is more than adequate for what we're using it for. (Family movies).



3. I just bought this because my panasonic minidv broke (tape insert would not open). I thought this would be cool, because of the built in night vision. However, this is a totally useless feature. It turns everything into black & white, and makes everyone's eyes look like big white dots like a deer staring into a headlight of the car. Certainly not a way you want to remember family events, which is what I purchased this for. If I can do it over again, I would buy something that has a light mounted on the front of the camera. This nightvision feature is useless. Overall, the camera records moview, so I guess it works fine.



4. The image quality is good (just as any DV camera). Connecting the cables directly to the camera with no need of any base or cradle is also very good. With USB connection you can use this camera also as webcam when at home, and you can even show recorded images on your tapes through as if it is a live image. The audio quality of the microfone rocks! (really really good) And it can also be used as USB microfone with the webcam.
   
   Perhaps, I got disappointed with some important features:
   - It does not have any led light that shows if the camera is recording of not (VERY BAD!).
   - It can not take shots if you are recording in widescreen mode.
   - If you don't want to mess up your battery, you have to take it off from the camera, because it does not detect that the battery is already charged. This is terrible when you are using the camera at home with the AC adapter: always remeber to remove the battery.
   - Night vision is badly placed, so when you attach an extenal lens, the light is covered. Also, when not using an external lens, it only works when very close to the subject.
   
   The last point i think is a general DV cams problem: don't waste your money with a 1GB or 512MB memory stick to store pictures. The picture quality is terrible, it's only 0.3 megapixel (640x480). An old 64MB memory stick is enough, unless you want to store videos on it, but why you'll want to do that if you have DV tapes???



5. I purchased the Sony DCR-HC36 last December(2006) and while the picture quality was just 'okay' for us, we were content for a year. Recently though when we try to capture the video on any one of our computers (via USB)the picture is broken-down into digital squares and unlegible as well as there is no sound. I downloaded fresh drivers and installed them but nothing worked. We have only used the camera a total of 25 times and it has never been dropped or banged around but it is putting garbage now and we can't seem to figure out why. The Sony site does NOT have a troubleshooting link to help figure this out and we refuse to put a dime into getting it repaiered since it really is not that good of a deal anyway. We do NOT recommend this camera to anyone. Do your research.

5 comments about Sony HVR-V1U 3-CMOS 1080i Professional HDV Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom.

1. I got burned on my VX-1000 with its 32K stunted audio, no firewire in and no manual zoom. The PDX-10 that followed was great- except for still missing a manual zoom. I looked really hard at the first HDV cameras- and decided to wait, and V1U was well worth it.
   Bought the Sony HD- and am totally amazed at how much faster my edit process is. The picture quality is phenomenal- but, we've mostly used standard DV since clients are quite ready to pay for HD.
   If you've shot with a PD-170 you'll find the form factor very familiar. Still not in love with the way Sony sets white balance- it's not really totally intuitive- but, overall- this is the best camera I've worked with. Friends who've borrowed it are gaga- and they are used to shooting with Sony pro cameras. As always- audio is the most difficult part of shooting with a prosumer camera- and the handle mounted dials are a bit tough to manipulate while shooting- but, all that aside- this camera is amazing.
   Also picked up Sony's LED light- it amazes me every time I use it- great light- no heat- and forever battery life.
   One thing about all the accessories- there isn't a really good solution to mount HD, Light, Wireless receiver to this small frame. We've bought a bracket off e-bay that makes it easy to mount at least the HD and wireless box to the camera- when the light is on- and the battery for the light has to be on the extension cable. Still- very hand holdable.
   Only thing I miss from the VX-1000 was my Century .55x plus fisheye reversible lens- haven't seen anything like it for 16x9 aspect ratios.
   If you've shot with Sony in the past- this is the camera for you.



2. I have had the chance to use this camera a few times, plus compare it to some other HD cameras out there in it's price range, and came away impressed by a few aspects, and more knowing about a few others to consider.
   
   All in all this is a great little HD camera that takes great pictures right out of the box. It handles really nice, has a true microphone that comes with it, and the lens is great on it with it's 20x ratio. It's slow-motion, though at quality a little less than SD, looks fantastic and is great fun to play with. The camera's low light capability is not as good as the Canon XH-A1 in the same price range, or the Panasonic HVX200 (another $2k+), or as good as the older Sony Z1 (which doesn't shoot 24fps). Looking back, the Sony PD170, which was the low-light standard is about 2 stops better in very low light. But the V1u's low light performance is almost one of taste. The camera tends to give a little more fine grain in such low light, kind of like film in some ways. My guess is that this "effect" is pleasing to some people, who don't view it's low-light grainy issues as a problem. Test for yourself before buying. The display and viewfinder are very nice too. Very sharp, with great readout info, including histograms, making sure every shot is properly exposed. The camera also has a really nice automatic gain control. Much better than the Canons in it's price group. Nice focusing features too.
   
   The camera is also part of a larger packaged idea - it doesn't come with, but works perfectly with a portable hard drive (HVR-DR60) that allows you go HDMI out, for much less compressed picture (though most people will think going to tape looks fine) and those files can be dragged and dropped right onto your computer - no more capturing! The LED light is really cool too. Again, these are extra cost.
   
   Pros -
   
   Gorgeous picture quality in most all lighting conditions. Doesn't require a lot of tweaking, it looks good almost all the time right out of the box. But if you want to tweak, you can. If you want to really tweak, consider the Canon line-up.
   
   True 24fps, and true progressive chips, for filmmaking. Great film like gamma curves.
   
   Feels great in your hand. Very well balanced.
   
   True 20x zoom lens. The 30x digital zoom looks terrific!
   
   Nice zoom and focus ring. I was expecting lower quality.
   
   CMOS chips have very nice lack of smearing you see on most cameras that have CCD chips (those sharp vertical lines you see when taking footage of sunsets, for example) and the chips have a certain film like look to some more than other video cameras with 24fps features (including me).
   
   Comes with a true microphone - while not a $500 Sennheiser, it's better than most any other on-board camera, which is a nice extra.
   
   Slow motion, if lower quality, looks really cool (up to 240 fps!). Very usable for video going to regular DVD (not HD) or to the web.
   
   Cool HDMI out, with other accessories (not included) such as shooting to hard drive, or a neat LED light.
   
   Con's -
   
   Questionable low-light capability. If you're shooting a lot of night time shots, dark indoors (horror movies, dimly lit interviews) you really need to test and compare this to other cameras before buying. If you're shooting regular footage, especially a lot of outdoor, daylight, or professionally lit work, it shouldn't be an issue at all.
   
   Cost is about $500 more than Canon's comparable XH-A1 (which doesn't come with the microphone).
   
   Files that go to the HVR-DR60 HD are .m2t format, which must be converted if you're using a Mac (though still usable and convertible on the Mac).
   
   As good as the lens is, I believe the Canon is better, and has better image stabilizing capability.
   
   In summary, this is a great little camera for most uses, with a somewhat unique picture to it. Just about anyone going into a store to shop for one can easily compare this to similar cameras and see the features and issues I speak of. They should answer your questions right away whether this camera is for you or not.
   
   
   Finally, a price comparison:
   
   For $500 less, you can buy a Canon A1, which works better in low light, has more picture control, plus a better image stabilizer. But it's a little bigger, can't go HDMI out, has no slow motion, and doesn't come with a pro microphone.
   
   For $2k more you can buy Panasonic's HVX200, which has superior compression, and solid state capability, and slow motion in high definition (not down res'd, like the Sony).
   
   For $3k more, you can buy Sony's new XDCAM PMW-1, which is an extremely impressive camera with a superior picture to any of these cameras.



3. I bought my HVR-V1U and have had it a week now. I am very impressed with the quality of video with very good light. In low light the quality of this video camera is poor. But after doing hours and hours of research I decided on this model for a few reasons.
   
   1) Size - This camcorder is about the same size as a VX-2000 with the same feel and pretty much the same layout.
   2) 24p - This camcorder can shoot film in true 24p which is great if you want to give your video that "Film look"
   3) XLR - This camcorder has 2 XLR inputs to put real good microphones on it if you want and comes with a $230 microphone.
   4) HDMI - This model has an HDMI out so I can quickly and easily with one cord connect it to my HDTV. The Sony HDR-FX1 doesn't have this.
   
   I think the slow motion feature is pretty cool to experiment with. But the quality is low and of course there is no sound when you do this.
   Everything on the camcorder is made very well. No cheap buttons or parts.
   
   Disadvantages: It has a 62mm lens. The bigger the lens usually the better the low light quality since the lens can let in more light. The battery that comes with it is ok, but you definately should buy the biggest battery you can get. My extended battery lasts around 490 minutes record time or about 690 minutes on playback mode.
   
   The extended warranty Amazon offers on this model for 4 years is only $199.99. That is a really good price for a camcorder this expensive.
   
   Bottom line: If you want all the features of this model but want the best low light recordings possible, then purchase the Sony HVR-Z1U camcorder which is another $600 or so. The XLR is worth it because sound is usually the weakest link when watching any video recorded on a camcorder.



4. We use this camera in a controlled environment, 5.5kw of incandescent light, and the images are sooo nice...
   The camera has been setup to shoot 24p all the time, and the color tweaked by me and a colorist, and the results are amazing.
   
   Our casting company uses it about 90% of the time, we record to a Focus FS 4 and to tape simultaneously.
   
   The Optical stabilization works amazing when hand held, the mic is not so good, but at least it's there.
   
   Wish it would have another accessory shoe, one is just not enough.
   
   All in all, the camera works great, the images are very cinematographic, stabilization is very useful, can be tweaked a lot, its as reliable as the sunrise.
   
   I like the new Z7, but for what we do, the V1 works like a charm
   
   f3



5. Bought the camera sight unseen, which was a mistake. I shoot in a lot of low light situations, which this camera DOES NOT do well in (my old digital 8 camera blows this away). I've had to boost to hyper gain which is an extremely grainy picture.

5 comments about Sony HDR-CX7 AVCHD 6.1MP High Definition Flash Memory Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom.

1. The avchd software does not work with vista 64 bit PC's. The camcorder is very good.



2. I chose Sony HDR CX7 over Panasonic HDC-SD5, Samsung HMX10A and Canon HG10 after an extensive research. I want a camcorder that can record both in HD and SD format, using Flash memory card, and taking decent still pictures. The reasons why I bought it are listed in THE GOOD section.
   
   After using it for 3 weeks, I hate it in some areas. They're listed in THE BAD and the UGLY SECTION.
   
   THE GOOD
   
   BEAUTIFUL VIDEO QUALITY
   It records beautiful and sharp video even in SD format. The color is vivid and attractive.
   
   BEST STILL PICTURES
   It takes pictures in 6 and 4 mega pixels. The color are lively and bright. All the competitors take pictures in only 2 mega pixels. They look very bad compared to Sony's. Still, these pictures do not look as sharp as a digital point and shoot camera. No pictures taken by any camcorders look as good as the ones by cameras.
   
   NIGHT SHOT FEATURE
   You can shoot video in the dark by turning on the built-in infrared light. No competitors have this feature.
   
   SHOOTING VIDEO IN BOTH HD AND SD FORMAT
   
   Only Sony and Panasonic camcorders have this feature.
   I want mine to be able shoot movies in both HD (AVCHD) and SD (Mpeg2) formats. It's because I and the majority of my friends have regular TV's and DVD players. We think the price of HD equipment is still too high.
   
   HIGH-CAPACITY EXTRA BATTERY
   The battery that comes with my camcorder lasts only 2 hours. I bought an extra one, NPFH100 H Series Actiforce Hybrid InfoLithium Battery. It lasts approximately 7 hours. That's more than enough for me.
   
   NOISELESS RECORDING
   Because it uses flash memory card, the camera makes no noise. As a result, my video recording does not have any sound made by the camcorder. The same thing goes for any camcorder that uses the same technology
   
   AFFORDABLE PRICING
   At $700, it's cheap for a high definiton, flash card camcorder. You can't go wrong with that
   
   THE BAD and THE UGLY
   
   SUPPORTING ONLY 8 GB of FLASH MEMORY
   
   The highest capacity of the memory sticks supported is only 8 GB. If you're recording in SD format, it will record for 4 hours. That's good enough for casual users. If you're recording in HD format, it lasts only 2 hours. That is short. I resolve this problem by using 2 memory sticks of 8 GB each. That gives me 4 hours of HD video or 8 hours of SD video. This is good enough for me. I wish it support 16 GB memory stick.
   
   PROPRIETARY INTERFACE AND HARDWARE
   This is one of the reasons I don't like Sony merchandise. It's because it costs me much more in the long run. Further more, I'm not able to use many better accessories made by other companies. For example, if I could use Sandisk Compact Flash card, it would cost less.
   
   SLOPPY ACCESSORIES
   Sound quality is not good unless you stand about 1 feet away from the object. It has too much echo. This is typical problem of all consumer camcorders made by all companies. So, I bought an external microphone, ECM-HGZ1 Shotgun Microphone. I ended up returning it to the store. It's because it's not better than the built-in one. It also looks and feels like a toy. If the camcorder did not use proprietary Active Interface Hot Shoe, I would be able to use pro external microphones made by other companies to produce excellent sound.
   
   Now, there's no way to record better sound with this camcorder. It does not have a line-in for microphone. If I want it, I'll have to buy pro -level camcorders which cost minimum $6500!
   
   BAD SOFTWARE SUPPORT
   I misplaced the software disc that came with the camera. So, I could not install the software browser to view HD video and picture files. I could not find full version of the software on Sony website! They have only the upgrade version. Luckily, I just found the original disc.
   
   In short, this is the best camcorder in its class which meets my needs. If only it used standard interface, then it would be an excellent equipment.



3. The camera works great, but it does not work very well with a Mac. Sony's software is only for PC, which is hard to believe in this day and age. There is a way to make it work in iMovie, but I hope you have a few hours to download your video. Anyway, like I said, I'm not complaining about the camera itself (which is great), but I am very frustrated that this is even an issue.



4. I bought this about two weeks ago and couldn't be happier. My first experience, I took it to my daughter's dance and took some outstanding HD videos. Playing it on my 50" HD plasma you can't believe your eyes. It is as you are watching a broadcast sports event. Still pictures are outstanding and the look and feel of this camera is awesome. The only thing I would suggest is to get yourself a cable to go HDMI. Sony should have included this but it's not that expensive to buy one. If you are looking for a video camera that is portable and easy to use, this is definitely the one.



5. I've had this camera for a few months now after upgrading from a tape based Sony pistol-grip style camcorder. Aside from the wacky avchd codec that is not particularly standard, this is a nearly perfect fusion of form and function. I did debate between this and the TG1, but in the end I decided I couldn't live without Nightshot. I don't use it much, but I'm used to having it and I know I would miss it. Get a mini-hdmi -> hdmi cable and the camera works as a terrific player on any hdtv (w/ an hdmi in, of course). Buy with confidence. This is a terrific camera.

5 comments about Sony NP-QM91D Lithium-Ion Battery for DCR-DVD101, 201, 301, SR1 & HDR-HC1 Camcorders.

1. Just bought this for my Sony HDR-HC1, The battery is big, but it balances the camera better than the standard battery. I think that sony designed the camera a little heavy in the front to make this battery balance the camera so well. The price seems steep but it is less than buying three standard batteries, that it replaces.
   A great buy in my book! Buy two so you can always have one charged and ready to go. You will run out of tape before ypu run out of battery!



2. I was amazed on how well this battery has performed. I did make sure when I got it I did a complete charge and complete discharge and it has not let me down since. I can shoot well over two hours without needing to change to the very meek battery that came with my camcorder (Sony HDR-HC1). It is thicker and sticks off the back a little bit more so you can not get your eye up to the eyepiece but I use the LCD when shooting anyway, and almost always on tripod.



3. for a battery of this size, the price was great. i applied for an amazon credit card and got $30.00 off which made the price even better. battery works great so far.



4. Excellent comcorder battery, don't worry about the time. The only complaint it is a little bulky.



5. It's a battery - don't expect anything more or less from it. Seems to hold a charge and works as expected.

5 comments about Sony DCR-VX2100 3CCD MiniDV Handycam Camcorder w/12x Optical Zoom.

1. I work in TV production and I bought this model to have an everyday camera at hand to record not only things related to my job, but also personal stuff. It is quite easy to use, has great quality and with extremely easy connectability to my Sony VAIO, absolutely fantastic to allow me to digitize my video , edit it and end up with good to very good end products.



2. I bought this to replace my defunkt Canon GL2 (tape drive mechanism failure - check the web for tons of dissatisfied Canon customers). I still had a bunch of mini-DV tapes to capture into my PC and wasn't ready to step up to an HD camcorder, so this was the nearest I could come to the quality I had grown to expect from my Canon GL2.
   
   The quality of the video this camera takes is fabulous and it's very easy to use. If you had a previous edition Sony camcorder, you'd be able to use this without so much as a look at the owner's manual.
   
   The only complaint I have with the Sony is that the still pictures it is capable of taking (rapidly too I might add!), are just not in a high enough resolution to make them suitable for much beyond supplementing your video clips. Perhaps there's enough resolution there for a 4x6 print, but not much more. Too bad... It would have been nice to park my Nikon at home and have this be my work horse. Perhaps the HD camcorders improve upon this feature. In a couple of years, I'll check it out.
   
   As an aside, the GL2 wasn't the only Canon camcorder I've had that died. Given their miserable track record for longevity, I will NEVER buy another Canon product.
   
   
   And a caveat. Buy a Mini-DV VCR to do the post filming grunt work. The camera manufactures would have you believe that you can do fancy editing work on there units. Once a camera's drive mechanism fails, the repair costs are staggering. So shoot your video with the camera, then rewind, capture and/or edit your film with a Mini-DV deck.



3. This is my first 3 chip camera and probably my top choice for years to come. Great quality in video and audio.



4. I recently opened my own professional wedding videography business, and after doing a lot of research decided on buying a pair of these cameras. I have never been so happy with an investment as I have with these cameras. They have all the features you could want in a camera: auto or manual controls for things like zoom, focus, exposure, shutter speed, etc, GREAT low-light sensitivity, high-quality mic, ports to plug in an additional mic, smart accessory shoe for additional lights or mics, LCD or viewfinder display, light filters, lens hood - it's great. Some of my favorite features are the light filters and the manual focus ring. The light filter will tell you if there's too much light coming in the lens (washing your picture out) and will tell you which filter to turn on. The manual focus ring is located right beside the manual zoom ring, and allows you to change your field of focus on the fly - great for getting some artistic shots.
   
   Bottom line - it's worth the price. Get this camera!



5. I've had one of these for 4 years. It's received fairly heavy use over that time with NO problems. Great in low or limited light-use situations. With a little practice, the manual controls are easy to reach and work very well. I've checked out the HD upgrades to this camera, and they really don't compare - yet. I love how good the footage looks in low- or poorly lit situations. (Sometimes you can't set up in your lights, especially when the CEO of a corporation only has 5 minutes to spare for a shoot, and it HAS to be in his/her office. If you don't need an HD camera, this little guy will serve you well. Why only 4 stars? The mic input is an 1/8' plug (which isn't a horrible work-around is you use high-quality mics) The placement of this jack isn't too good, and I've pulled the mic cord out by accident a time or two. Keep your heads clean and always monitor your audio with headphones. I also recommend a hard-shell case. I hope Sony will make a HD camera as good as this one soon.

5 comments about Sony DCR-DVD308 1MP DVD Handycam Camcorder with 25x Optical Zoom.

1. The picture is clear and recording is easy, the only bad thing is that the discs are so expensive. Deleting is simple and makes recording even easier, because if you don't like it you can delete it.



2. Before I bought this camera, I read the reviews of this one and others to compare and I even compared Mini-DV and Digital and thanks to the positive reviews on this camera (and it was in my price range) I bought it. I was not disappointed. I have only had it a month and I have used it many times. The mic pics up well, and the zoom works great (which I use for my kids sports). I have downloaded video to my laptop, and burned DVD's. I took the advice of other customers and bought the longer life battery. The only difficulty I had was in not understanding that formatting meant deleting what you had already recorded on the disc, so I now know. My laptop did not have DVD burning capabilities so I did purchase an external burner and everything works great. I would recommend this camera to anyone who has a budget but wants a quality camcorder.



3. I am completely satisfied with the picture quality and zoom of this handy cam. I would completely recommend this handy cam.



4. Very nice camera/camcorder and the price was an excellent deal. The camera arrived quicker than I had expected. I used it this weekend at my brothers wedding and the video and pictures turned out great.
   Thanks so much, I am very pleased!!!!!!!!!!!



5. Sony DCR-DVD308 works beautifully and seems well put together. It's light, compact, convenient and generally well designed. Operation is very easy, though it is so light it is very difficult to keep steady on a long zoom, and the zoom is extremely rapid and difficult to make unobtrusive - both probably what you get in this kind of camera. It may be a wonderful camera if you just want to watch what you shot, conveniently immediately, on your living room DVD player. Not so much if you want to edit it for anything other than YouTube. The problem seems to be the specific MPEG-2 compression for mini-dvd storage (which is not limited to Sony). I shot one dvd and then tried to edit it, which was a bit of a nightmare. I did manage to find a converter so I could edit in Adobe Premier Elements but the result was jumpy movement and otherwise pretty inelegant. I had much happier results from my old analog 8mm tape camera and a capture card. I have seen some references to simple editing software supplied, but couldn't find it on either of the cds that came with the camera. Sony's highly rated Vegas suites were not developed by Sony and reviewers say they don't provide any proprietary advantages for editing these miniDVDs. I eventually found an obscure software that will edit in the camera's native format without conversion, and that might work better - for another $100. These are just moving snapshots for me, but if I put a lot of work into editing (and I do want to edit), I want decent results that I won't be embarrassed to share or hate to watch myself. Reviewers (I later read) say the quality of miniDV format is better though tape is less convenient. So I've stepped back a technology, ordered a refurbed Sony DCR-HC62 miniDV, and if it proves better, this one goes on Craig's list.

5 comments about Sony DCR-DVD108 DVD Handycam Camcorder with 40x Optical Zoom.

1. This was a gift for my boyfriend and he loves it. Its easy to use, the quality of the picture is great for the price, and its small enough to bring anywhere. FYI it does not come with any of the discs.



2. I have had it for over a year now and love the quality and ease of use. It produces great family videos!
   
   My only complaint is that it's hard to find compatible video editing/burning software. I finally found Sony Vegas Movie Studio 8 with Dvd Architect 4.5 This software is necessary to make great family dvds with this camera. Try the free download at sony before you buy.
   
   Would definately recommend!



3. This is my first camcorder and I love it. It is easy to use and creates wonderful scenes full of color and detail. I have had this camcorder about a year or so now and am still very happy with it. Of course, when I bought the camcorder it was much cheaper and offered by Amazon (free shipping). All I can say is it is a wonderful product for those starting out. The 40X zoom is the best part of the camcorder. The zoom is so powerful I was able to film a family of foxes from far away. The footage looked as if they were right there. Wonderful cam!!! I am one happy handcam mom!



4. Ok I bought this item in 2007. I love the camcorder it works great. But now I own a new computer with wondows vista and guess what? Its not compatable. SO now what? I have a camcorder and can't get any videos on my computer. This really sucks. Sony should have some kind of software or something to make this compatable with windows vista. I've only owned this camcorder for a year and now I'm afraid I will have to buy to buy a new one.



5. This is an easy to use little camera with a great zoom. The color and definition is far better than I thought, in well lit areas. In lower lighting the color is flat, the picture is darker than the surroundings and not real clear. For outside, daytime, or well lit rooms, it is perfect.

5 comments about Sony HDR-HC9 6MP MiniDV High Definition Handycam Camcorder 10x Optical Zoom.

1. This is our first HD camera, so we didn't really know what to expect. (Note that for video review, we played the output via HDMI to our Sony Bravia 46" HD TV.) In full light, the picture is fantastic; you get some blur and artifacts during movement or in shadows, but I don't know if that is normal or not for an HD camera, so I'll take that at face value. Night shooting without the IR light (Nightshot) is pretty grainy, even with an add-on light. The Nightshot IR functionality works great and is a lot of fun to play with. The built-in IR light seems to work well up to 7 or 8 feet and then drops off.
   
   Still shots are pretty poor; even in picture mode, they look like video captures; the contrast and color balance are bad compared to a dedicated still camera, but that seems to be common with most if not all dual use cameras so, again, take it at face value. Note that it does have a built-in flash (I couldn't find that documented anywhere).
   
   It is small and light; you can almost stick it in your pocket, even with an extended life battery. Contrary to the CNET review, I didn't have any issues with the touch screen functionality.
   
   Video and still import work fine; I had to buy a different firewire cable (the one included has the small end on each side, my PC has a large firewire connection). The Picture Motion Browser did not work; it crashed with an error when trying to open on Vista. Sony were absolutely no help; they just kept sending me to knowledge base articles that were of no use, and refused to make any effort to help (given that I just dropped $1500 on camera and accessories, you'd think there would be more love there).
   
   On the whole, I'm pretty happy with the camera, although I'm disappointed that I have to carry two devices to get quality stills, and I'm very frustrated with Sony's support for their worthless software. But, at the end of the day, I paid for an HD video camera, not a still camera or software...so, four stars for the video functionality.



2. Justin Paxton's review is right on the money. I couldn't have done better. If you want a miniDV tape format camera (for all the right reasons such as image quality, editing capability, shelf storage) then read his review carefully. I also agree, that this camera needs a 20x-25x optical zoom lens. I've been holding out until such a camera comes on the market at this price range. A 10x is basically useless to me.



3. I love this camera! The image is good quality and the colors are vivid. I would recomended!! The only thing is that the battery doesnt last long, only about 1 hour so I would recommend a second battery but they are expensive.



4. I picked up this camera back in March 2008 for a one day Amazon sale of only $[...]. Amazing price! The detailed reviews are spot on. Video is stunning to say the least. I firmly believe that HDV is THE way to go still for many reasons. Highest bit rate of all HD Camcorders, The tapes are CHEAP these days and you can use regular tapes just fine, no need for any expensive HD tapes. An 8 pack of DV tapes can be had for less than $[...] at Costco or Sams club. Tapes are easy to archive as well. They will last forever if you take care of them. If you have a hard drive based camcorder or flash based and you run out of room on your vacation in the middle of nowhere, your out of luck. The flash chips are expensive and editing software still hasn't caught up or on to either hard drive or flash based cameras. This camera worked perfectly with iMovie HD for editing. You can now burn a Blu-Ray Video disc on a regular DVD using Toast 9 and playback on your PS3. This means you can get up to 9GB of 1080i video data on regular DL DVD. Of course you can also downrez to 480P if you wish and burn to regular DVD to send to the grandparents. I wish it had a 25X optical as the 10X seems a little weak.
   
   Here is my one major complaint about this camera. No analog passthrough! The only connections to this camera for input are digital. That means if you wanted to use this camera to passthrough any old VHS tapes so you could edit and burn to dvd on your computer your out of luck. I wish I had known this before I sold my old regular Sony DV camcorder. Other than that one problem this is a great camera. The build quality is solid, it doesn't feel cheap in your hands and the controls (at least for me as I have had 3 Sony camcorders now) are easy to learn and simple to use. Very highly recommended.



5. I like this a lot. Maybe it's just because it's my first HD camcorder, but I do a lot of video editing and dvd burning of youth sports videos (for my kids teams) and this is the first camcorder (including borrowed from other parents) that I've been able to actually get really good quality DVDs burned. Old VHS-C, Hi-8 and other DV camcorders (including hard drive and mini-dv) always look fine on my tv when plugged in directly from camcorder to tv, but once all the compression and burning and whatever is done and it's on DVD it never plays nearly as good. I know I'm converting the HD tapes into DV to burn but the end-result has been a much better quality DVD than the mini-DV tapes on DVD.
   
   I like pretty much everything about this camcorder, especially all of the outputs and the placements and ease of the the battery, but the zoom is the one thing that I wish would feel a little better. It's hard for me with my big hands and fingers to do a nice, slow zoom in and out during a shot. I touch it a little and it doesn't really move, than I add a little too much pressure and it zooms in too far, too quickly. I think I'm getting a little better at it though, it just takes a bit more caution for me. Also, though it's not a big deal, I wish the eye-piece rotated up like my old hi-8 handicam does. I haven't tried taking pictures yet but I'm not that picky and I'm sure it's going to be just fine for me. As for battery time, it seems pretty typical to me, as far as the batteries that always come with the camcorders go. I always like to have two batteries so I'm covered anyway. I also prefer to shoot thru the eyepiece not looking at the LCD so that saves a ton of battery power.

4 comments about Sony HDR-UX10 4MP DVD High Definition Handycam Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

1. An excellent HD camcorder. Saves to DVD+RW or ProDUO (I use the 4 GB Sony). Pictures are crystal clear, and the 5.1 surround sound is excellent (sounds exactly as if you're outdoors). An excellent price, too! A great buy, IMO!



2. An excellent HD camcorder. Saves to DVD+RW or ProDUO (I use the 8 GB Sony). Pictures are crystal clear, and the 5.1 surround sound is excellent (sounds exactly as if you're outdoors). An excellent price too, listed as top buy in Money Magazine.
   
   -Sanjay



3. I'm very happy with this camcorder. The definition is awesome especially in good lighting, not so good in dim lighting, but I think that goes for all camcorders. It's recommended to play back the DVD's on a compatible player like Blue Ray to get HD, as a matter of fact in the instructions it warns against playing the movies back on regular DVD players because it could erase/damage your disk. I recommend buying the double sided mini DVD disks, each side holds about 25-30 min of video.



4. Excellent HD cam at a low price,
   - it's a SONY!,
   - the video quality is very very good, 1080i! FULL HD, crystal clear.
   - the 5.1 channels mic records amazing sound.
   - the menus are easy to use, if you dont get it: use the "easy" button, it sets up the cam and you're good to go.
   - the photos are very good taken thanks to the "Steadyshot" feature and the integrated flash. You can take photos at any time during video recording.
   - the "night shot" func. really works.
   - it fits in your hand perfectly and it has a good weight, not too light nor heavy.
   - transfers to PC are easy and fast. just connect the usb, it's software detects it and download the videos, one it's done you can watch the videos on Windows media player, if you have any issue doing so, just google: "ffdshow" and download this codecs pack, so your pc can play almost any kind video out there.
   - If you have a PS3, just plug the memory stick and play the vids.
   - The photos can be transferred without using the sony software just copy/paste.
   
   Opportunity:
   -The Slow motion feature could be better, you won't get good video quality using this function, it's helpful if you just need to observe something in slowmo but not if you want to make an artistic video or something like that. What i do is take the regular video on HD and slow it down with Windows Movie Maker ;P (You can speed it up too)
   
   This a very good HD camcorder for the price; you can't go wrong with SONY.